Cuff link



Dem-1,1925. 1,563,998 A. J. KENNEDY cuml um:

FiledAJan. 12. 192s Patented Dec. l, 1925.

ANDREW J. KENNEDY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO PARKS BROS. & ROGERS 1,563,998A UNITED STATES PA-TENT; oFricE- INC., or PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION or RHODE ISLAND.

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Application filed January 12, 1925. Serial' No. 1,728.

To all wlw/m t may concern:

Be 1t known that I, ANDREW J. KENNEDY,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county Ot' Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Culi1 Links, of which the following is a specification. f

rIhis invention relates to improvement-s in cuff links, and more particularly to cuil links of the type which comprises separable culii buttons.

One object of the present invention is to provide a culi link of the separable button type which may be very cheaply and economically manufactured, as to the stems and interlocking coupling members thereof, from sheetmetal by means ot' a. punch press. .Another object is to provide an improved cuit link wherein, when the buttons are assembled, they will be yieldably held at an angle to each other corresponding substantially with the natural slant of the sides of the cuff, and when in such position will be securely interlocked against accidental separation. Another object is to provide an improved construction of cuit link consisting of separable cuil buttons which will not become disengaged when the cuff itself is drawn upwardly and tightened upon the arm. Another object is to provide an improved construction of cuff link wherein the two cuil members may be readily guided into co-operative engagement when closing the cud.

Other objects and attendant advantages of the invention will be apparent to persons skilled in the art as the same becomesbetter understood by reference to then following detailed description, taken in `connection with the accompanying drawing wherein I have illustrated a practical and approved embodiment of the invention and of the steps and operations involved in manufacturing the same, and in which- Fig. 1 is a plan view of a sheetemetal blank from which the `female coupling member and the U-shaped stem or post ot one of the buttons is formed; n 4

Fig. 2 is a planview of Fig. 1 showing the legs of the post bent transversely to substantially semi-cylindrical form and vswag-ed upwardly from the body of the blank;

. Fig. 3. is anedge view of Fig. 2, looking .from the lett .of .the latter figure;

Fig. a is a view showing the body of the blank bent `transversely to a substantially triangular iorm in cross-section to thereby create the hollow locking member, andthe legs oit the post brought thereby into substantially parallel position; n

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a sheet-metal blank from which the male locking member and the U-shaped stem or post of the other button are formed;

Fig. 6 is an edge view of Fig. 5,but showing the legs of the post bent transversely to substantially semi-circular form in cross-section and swaged upwardly from the plane of the body of `the blank; l Y

Fig. 7 is a view showing the body of the blank folded upon itself and the legs brought into substantially parallel relation;

Fig. 8 is a perspective elevation of one of the two caps .which are applied tothe ends of the female coupling member;`

Fig. 9 is a top plan view of Fig. 4: with the end caps applied to the femalecoupling member;

Fig. 10 is a view showing the completed buttons separated and in posi-tion to be interlocked by movement toward each other;

Fig. 11 is an elevation, at right angles to Fig. 1 0V showing the two buttons interlocked and inverted relatively to Fig. 10; i

Fig. 12 is an enlarged view corresponding with Fig. 11, in -section through the posts and coupling lmembers and also showing a spring located in the hollow legs of one of the posts for yieldably interlocking the two coupling members and holding the buttons tilted at an angle to each other correspond ing substantially with the natural slant ot the sides of the cuil; and i Fig. 4413 is an enlarged cross-section through the assembled coupling members at one side or' the stems or posts.

Referring to the drawings, 15 designates the rectangular flat body porton of a thin sheet-metal blank from which the hollow coupling member and the U-shaped stem or post of one of the buttons is formed. Integral with theopposite ends ot the body 15 are tongues 16. In the body 15 is formed va longitudinal slot 17 and a transverse slot 18 intersecting the slot 17. Onone'edge of the slot 18, and lying on opposite sides respectively of the longitudinal slot 17, are a. pair of lips 19, .the function of which will l hereinafter appear, In the edges Otthe.

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yWire spring'2 blankibody T15 from which `the tonguesl eXtend are cut sina'll notches 2O for a purpose hereinafter explained.

Theblanl; thusfoi'med is subjected to the operation of a suitable ydie press by Which the tongues 1G are bent transversely into substantially semi-circular form and at the saine time swaged upwardly from the body 15 of the blank, as shown inFig. 3, thereby rfoiining the legs 21 of a U-shaped stem or post; this ,operation slightly narrowing thebody 15 andthe longitudinal slot 17, as shown in FigQZ. -In a suitable die press the blank having the form showninvFigs. 2 and 3 is furthervoperated upon to bend the lflat body 15 transversely on thellines cri-m and g/-y ('Fig. 1) into the triangular form shown in Figsft and 12, thereby: forming a hollow tubular locking inemberQZ, with the legs Q1 through their outer'portions disposed paralleland together forming a'U-shaped stem or postfQehgand leaving'the lips 19 upstanding on one side'of the transverse slot 18. The open ends of thehollow locking member 22 thus formed areclosed by apair of flanged caps 25 8) which are pressed over the ends of the coupling member 22 and the edges of thetlanges pressed or crimpedl into the notches 20,an'd the extreme ends of the transverse slot `18, whereby said caps are securely locked in place. -rllhebutton head 26 is soldered or brazed-to the free ends of the vlegs -of the U-'shaped stein Q4. Lying `within the hollow le of the post 24- is a Usshaped 'The stein and male locking member Y of the l(1o-operatingbutton are formed'froin the flat she'etfmetal blank shown -i n` Fig. 5 the same comprising a-'fiat body portionfQS lof fsubstantiallyvw rectangular form and preferably Awith itsVoppositeend'edges notched as shown at 29,` and ytongues l0 'projecting from fthe other two edges oftheboc'ly. "In a vsu'table die. press the tongues() of thisblank are bent into. substanti ally semi-circular form' in Vcrosslseetionand at the Asaine time` swaged upwardly at their in-ner ends from the body 28,'thereby 'forming legs`31 ofthe U-sha'ped stem or post of the other button. 'In the saine Aor another operation the body 28 is bent transversely on the line @-2 (Fig. 5) and folded upon itself,\thereby creating the male lockingmeinber 32 which, as Aclearly 'shown in "Fig 10, presents -on its inner 1 or lower edge shoulders', and at-the1saine Jtime bringing the'outer portionsofthe legs 31 into substantial'parallelism-to:forinf the UY-shaped stem orpost '34` (Fig. f7 `Tothe outer end ofthe post' 34 isbrazed orsoldered the'button head 35. The couplingfmeinber '82 is of'fa length and-.Width `stiflicienttofpass through' the slotv 18 ofA the coupling member of the other button.

"The -tWo -buttons formed as' above-de- 1 scribed are. in use, engaged With-thelnitton 'temper r0f the. spring' by heat. and `isrthenreadilyinserted throughthe slot 17 yand pushed downwardly into the legs 24 of holes in the two sides of the cuff by passing the coupling members through the button holes and then turning the buttons ninety degrees, thereby causing the relatively wide stems vor postsr24` and to lie in and parallel witli'the button holes, with the two coupling members projecting on the inner sides of the button holes at ai-ight angle tov thelatter so that they also act as guards to prevent the buttons from acci*- dental displacement from the but-ton holes. The twor buttons arethen `pressed toward' each other until. the coupling member 32 registeiswith the slot 1S of tire hollow coupling member, in which Aoperation.the upstanding lips 19 and thei'ims of the capsi serve toceiiterand guidethe coupling meniberQ into register with the slot. As ltue coupling' member 32 passes through the slot it meets and compresses the spring 2T; and when the buttons are then tilted as shown in Figs. 11 and 12. the reaction of theI spring on'the free edge 0f the.couplingmember 32 loclis the shoulders lrof the *coupling meinbei' B2 out of register with the slot 18 and in linterlocking engagement with the inner surface of onel corner-of the hollow` coupling member Q2 beyond the slotlS, and holds the twobuttons tilted at an angle to each other that corresponds to'tlieinatural angle of the sides of thc cuff, and maintains the buttons 'in this positionduring wear of the link;

lthe.springin this positionanot being under tension. To disengage therbuttons it is neclessaryonly topress on the inner edges of the buttoir heads until theposts are substantially in line with each other, compressing the spring, which bringsthe coupling member intoqregister with the slot 18. whereupon the :thrust :of the .spring forces -the two buttons `apart. Y

TDi-irmey this separating movement the enfgagementfof thestein of the male coupling member with the slot 17 centers the .male

coupling member 32 relatively to the enztranee and .exit slot-19, so that the endsof said inemerdo not catch beneath the,en l margins of the slot. The dou-blesteins vprevent-turning of the buttons iii-thevbutton `holes..naintaining the coupling members always in positionto engage with each other. lvInfassembling-the parts, the head 26 is `preferably'brazed to `its stem before the spring is inserted to prevent injuring the the spring the stein.

lt is believed that the foregoing descrip- ;ti0n,f.in connect-ion with thedrawing, will make clear -the novel structural feature. mode of manipulation, and .advantages of the invention. Manifestly minor changes in Yrespect of structuralgdetails may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit of the,

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invention er sacriiicing any oi the advantages thereoif. Hence, I reserve all such variations and modifications as tallwithin the spirit and purview et the appended claims.

l. A culi' link comprising in combination separable cuit buttons, one ot' said buttons comprising a head, a stem, and a hollow coupling member, and the other button comprising a head, a stem, and a co-operatmg coupling member adapted to interlock within said hollow coupling member, said coupling members permitting relative movement of the buttons about one axis only, and means holding said buttons interlocked at an angle to each other.

2. A. cuit' link comprising in combination leparable eutl buttons, one of said buttons comprising a head, a stem, and a hollow eoupling member, and the other button comprising a head, a stem, and a co-operatmg coupling member adapted to interlock within said hollow coupling member, said coupling members permitting relative movement ot' the buttons about one aXis only, and a. spring yieldably holding said oo -operating coupling member mterlocked within said hollow coupling member to retain said buttons securely interlocked at an angle to each other.

3. A cull link comprising in combination separable cull buttons, one oi' said buttons comprising a head, a hollow stem, and a hollow slotted coupling member, and the other button comprising a head, a stem, and a cooperating coupling member adapted to pass through the slot of said hollow coupling member and interlock within the latter, and a spring within said hollow stem for vieldably holding said coupling members interloelied with said buttons tilted at an angle to each other.

l. A cultn link comprising in combination separable cuit buttons, one of said buttons comprising a head, a U-shaped stem, and a tubular slotted coupling member on and disposed at a right angle to the plane oi said stem, and the other button comprising a head, a stem, and a coi-operating coupling member adapted to pass through the slot oi" said tuba ar coupling member and interlock within the latter, and spring means engag ing said co-operating coupling member in a .manner to lock the same out oi' register with said slot with said buttons tilted about the airis ot said tubular coupling member.

5. A culi link comprising in combination separable culi1 buttons, one of said buttons comprising a. head, a U-shaped stem, and a tubular coupling member on and disposed at a right angle to the plane of said stem and termed with a longitudinal slot and a transreise slot intersecting said longitudinal slot,

`hollow legs,

and the other button comprising a head, a lol-shaped stem, and a co-operating coupling member adapted to pass through the longitudinal slot of said tubular coupling member and interlock within the latter, and spring means engaging said co-operating coupling member in a. manner to lock the same out oil register with said longitudinal slot and hold the stem ot said co-operating coupling member in said transverse slot.

(l. il cuil' link coi'nprising in combination separable cuill buttons, one of said buttons comprising a head, a U-shaped stem having and a tubular slotted coupling member, and the other button comprising a head, a stem, and a co-operating coupling member adapted to pass through the slot oi said tubular coupling member and interlock within the latter, and a bow spring disposed within the legs ot' said U-shaped stem abutting against said co-operating. coupling member and yieldably holding said coupling men'ibers interlocked with said buttons tilted at an angle to each other.

7. il culi' link comprising in combination separable culi buttons, one of said buttons comprising a head, a U-shaped stem having hollow legs, and a tubular slotted coupling member ot triangular form in cross-section, and the other button comprising a head, a stem, and a eo-operating coupling member adapted to pass through the slot oit said tubular coupling member andiformed with snoulders on either side of its stem, and a bow spring disposed within the legs of said U-shaped stem abutting against said co-operating coupling member and yieldably holding the shoulders oit the latter against the inner surface of one corner oi. said tubu lar coupling member. i

S, A cuil link comprising in combination separable cuil buttons, one oi said buttons comprising a head, a stem, and a hollow slotted coupling member, and the other button comprising a head, a stem, and a co-op erating coupling member adapted to pass through the slot ot said hollow coupling member and interlock within the latter, and means on said hollow coupling member for centering and guiding said co-operating coupling member into said slot.

9. A cuil' link comprising in combination separable cuff buttons, one oi said buttons comprising a head, a stem, and a hollow slotted coupling member, and the other button comprising a head, a stem, and a cooperating coupling member adapted to pass through the hollow slot of said coupling member and interlock within the latter, and an upstanding lip on one edge of said slot serving to center and guide said co-operating coupling member into said slot.

ANDREl/Y KENNEDY. 

